Feeder Insert For A Vertically Split Casting Mold

ABSTRACT

A feeder insert ( 10 ) for use in a vertically split casting mold that is used for the casting of metals includes a feeder body ( 11 ), which has an internal cavity ( 12 ) as feeder volume and which is composed of an exothermic and/or insulating material and which, in the base surface ( 17 ) thereof, which faces toward a pattern inserted into the casting mold during production of the casting mold, has a feeder opening ( 18 ) for connecting the cavity ( 12 ) to the mold cavity of the casting mold, wherein the feeder body ( 11 ) is oriented with its longitudinal axis ( 21 ), which runs through the feeder opening ( 18 ), at an angle with respect to the vertically oriented pattern and so as to be horizontal relative to the pattern, and the volume of the internal cavity ( 12 ) is of asymmetrical design with respect to an imaginary parting plane ( 25 ) running in or parallel to the longitudinal axis ( 21 ), characterized in that the feeder body ( 11 ) has an uneven mass distribution with respect to the parting plane ( 25 ), with a center of mass situated to one side of and spaced apart from the parting plane ( 25 ), and that region ( 28 ) of the internal cavity ( 12 ) of the feeder body ( 11 ) which is situated on that side of the parting plane ( 25 ) which is situated opposite the center of mass has a larger volume than that region ( 29 ) of the internal cavity ( 12 ) which is situated on that side of the parting plane ( 25 ) which faces toward the center of the mass.

The invention relates to a feeder insert for use in a vertically splitcasting mold that is used for the casting of metals includes a feederbody, which has an internal cavity as feeder volume and which iscomposed of an exothermic and/or insulating material and which, in thebase surface thereof, which faces toward a pattern inserted into thecasting mold during production of the casting mold, has a feeder openingfor connecting the cavity to the mold cavity of the casting mold,wherein the feeder body is oriented with its longitudinal axis, whichruns through the feeder opening, at an angle with respect to thevertically oriented pattern and so as to be horizontal relative to thepattern, and the volume of the internal cavity is of asymmetrical designwith respect to an imaginary parting plane running in or parallel to thelongitudinal axis.

A feeder insert with the above-noted features is known from EP 2 489 450A1. This feeder insert is already provided and equipped for insertioninto a vertically split casting mold. Such a vertically split castingmold is known and provided, for example, in WO 2010/041091 A1. In theframe of manufacturing of these types of casting molds by means of acorrespondingly equipped mold assembly, described in WO 2010/041091 A1,the feeder insert upon manufacture of the casting mold is oriented on avertically extending pattern or a corresponding pattern plate and shapedinto a quasi-horizontal orientation in the casting mold, so that itsfeeder opening likewise is oriented substantially vertically. With thistype of orientation of the feeder insert, the problem is that whenfilling the mold cavity that occurs in the molding process by deliveryof the liquid metal from the inner cavity of the feeder body based onthe volume contraction during the setting process of the metal in themold cavity, the liquid level of the liquid metal in the inner cavity ofthe feeder body can drop to such an extent that the cross section of thevertical feeder opening no longer is covered completely by liquid metal.This can have the result that the region of the already cast-in moldcavity of the casting mold, connected to the feeder body and connectedwith its feeder opening, empties into the inner cavity of the feederinsert. Furthermore, the feeder module of the feeder insert is reduced,as far as the inner cavity of the feeder body is emptied too much duringthe feeding process.

In order to counteract this problem, with the feeder insert described inEP 2 489 450 A1, it is provided that the feeder opening of the feederinsert is displaced eccentrically downwards, relative to thelongitudinal central axis of the feeder body, whereby the volume of theinner cavity above the feeder opening is greater than the volume presentbelow the feeder opening. In addition, the feeder body can be tiltedupwardly with its longitudinal axis also from the horizontal. In thisconnection, the results should be that the feeder opening is coveredduring the molding process, respectively, by the liquid metal availablein the inner cavity. The known feeder insert, in addition, has aso-called Williams core in the form of a projection formed on a wallregion surrounding the inner cavity and projecting with its tip into theinner cavity. This Williams core is arranged in the region of the innercavity of the feeder insert that is positioned above the feeder openingand which has the greater volume.

The known feeder insert has the disadvantage, however, that the feederbody is fixed to the pattern based on its design, respectively, in thecorrect orientation or direction. As far as the feeder body beinginserted onto a mold pin located on the pattern, it is proposed in EP 2489 450 A1 to provide positive locking between the mold pin and thefeeder body, in order to permit, respectively, the correct orientationof the feeder body to the pattern carrying the mold pin. Nevertheless,during orientation of the feeder insert, errors are not completelyeliminated.

A feeder assembly is disclosed in SU 776 740 A1, in which a feeder headis formed with a cavity serving to receive liquid metal and positionedabove a feeder insert formed vertically in a casting mold in which moldsand is placed for formation of the casting mold. A likewise verticallyoriented Williams core projects from a side wall of the feeder head intothe cavity, whose lower surface facing the feeder insert is spacedrelative to the feeder insert and runs parallel thereto. This type ofconfiguration is not suitable for a horizontal arrangement and acorresponding design of the feeder assembly in the casting mold.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing afeeder insert with the above described types of features, such that anincorrect or inaccurate orientation of the feeder insert, during castingin a vertically split casting mold, is avoided and simultaneously, theadvantage of a complete feeding of the mold cavity is maintained.

The solution of this object is provided from the content of the patentclaims, which follow this description, and which include theadvantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention.

The invention contemplates that the feeder body has an uneven massdistribution with respect to the parting plane with a center of masssituated to one side of and spaced apart from the parting plane and thatregion of the internal cavity of the feeder body which is situated onthat side of the parting plane which is situated opposite the center ofmass has a larger volume than that region of the internal cavity whichis situated on that side of the parting plane which faces toward thecenter of mass.

The present invention offers the advantage that the feeder insert, basedon the uneven mass distribution, is oriented automatically duringcasting. If a feeder insert formed according to the present invention ismounted, for example, on a mold pin during assembly of the castingpattern, then the feeder insert rotates automatically, based on theuneven mass distribution, into a position in which the larger volumeportion of the internal cavity lies above the longitudinal axis of thefeeder body running through the feeder opening. Thus, it must be ensuredthat the stored volume of liquid metal above the feeder opening isincreased and sufficiently dimensioned for the feeding process so thatthe feeder insert during the feeding process does not run empty.Simultaneously, in this connection, the cross section of the feederopening is covered, respectively, by liquid metal contained in theinternal cavity of the feeder body.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that theuneven mass distribution is realized by the formation of different wallthicknesses on the feeder body, whereby the region of the wall areapositioned beneath the parting plane with a horizontal orientation ofthe feeder body on the vertical pattern has a greater wall thicknessthan the region of the wall area of the feeder body positioned above theparting plane.

The invention can be realized with feeder inserts, with which thelongitudinal axis of the feeder opening forms the center axis of thefeeder body. Alternatively, however, a design of the feeder insert ispossible, in which the longitudinal axis of the feeder opening isarranged eccentric to the center axis of the feeder body, which isalready known from the disclosure of EP 2 489 450 A1.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the feeder body has, in its coverregion that is disposed opposite to the base surface, an opening that isaligned with the feeder opening and disposed in the longitudinal axisrunning through the feeder opening for receiving a mold pin secured tothe pattern inserted in the mold, so that the feeder insert can beshifted already before casting over the mold pin, so that the feederinsert during the casting process cannot be slid out of it. During thecasting process, the feeder insert is displaced then still further inthe direction of the longitudinal center axis of the feeder insert or ofthe pin supported in it in the direction of the pattern carrying themold pin. Thus, in a known manner, the feeder insert can be mounted on arigid mold pin or also on another so-called spring pin.

For example, based on manufacturing grounds, it can be provided that thefeeder body can comprise two halves that are separated along atransverse axis running at a right angle to its longitudinal axis andconnected to form the feeder body.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that ashaped part, preferably made of metal and having a through-opening thatis aligned with the feeder opening of the feeder body, is fixed to thebase surface of the feeder body, as is known from EP 2 489 450 A1. Inthis regard, the shaped part fulfills the same object as a feeder insertused in a horizontally split casting mold.

In the figures, exemplary embodiments of the present invention areshown, which are described below. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a feeder insert in a position associated with a verticalmold form half in a lateral sectional view,

FIG. 2 shows the subject matter of FIG. 1 with a mold part forming itsfeeder foot.

The feeder insert 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a feeder body 11, whichincludes a wall area 13 surrounding an internal cavity 12 as a so-calledfeeder volume and a cover region 14. The feeder body has an outersurface 16 and an inner surface 15 of the wall area 13 surrounding theinner cavity 12 as well as a base surface 17, in which a feeder opening18 is formed.

The feeder insert 10 shown in a “horizontal” arrangement should beassociated with a vertical casting mold half 20, whereby the feederinsert can be mounted on a mold pin (not illustrated) formed on apattern inserted in the casting mold. The mold pin engages through thefeeder opening 18 into the base surface 17 and extends into the coverregion 14 of the feeder insert 10, whereby in this cover region 14, anopening 22 for receiving the tip of the mold pin is formed. Duringcasting, the tip of the mold pin could puncture the remaining crosssection of the cover region in the opening 22. This, however, is alsoknown from the state of the art.

It is clearly recognizable that the region 26 of the wall area 13disposed above an imaginary parting plane 25, which coincides with thelongitudinal axis 21 of the feeder opening 18, which in the embodimentshown in the drawing, forms simultaneously the longitudinal center axisof the feeder body 11 and extends into the plane of the drawing, has aclearly thin material thickness and therefore, markedly less mass thanthe region 27 of the wall area 13 disposed below the parting plane 25,so that the center of mass (which is not specifically defined in thedrawing) of the entire wall area 13 of the feeder insert 10 lies, ifnecessary, below the parting plane 25. This has the result that thefeeder insert 10 after mounting onto a mold pin, before compression ofthe mold material applied into the casting mold, necessarily rotatesinto such a position, in which the heavier region 27 of the wall area13, based on the effects of gravity, is lying always below the partingplane 25 of the longitudinal axis of the mold pin.

At the same time, the internal cavity 12 of the feeder insert withreference to the longitudinal axis 21 is asymmetrically formed, wherebythe region 28 of the internal cavity 12 positioned on the side of theparting plane 25 opposite to the center of mass has a greater volumethat the region 29 of the hollow cavity positioned on the side of theparting plate 25 facing toward the center of mass. Since as described,the feeder insert 10 upon mounting onto a mold pin is oriented such thatthe heavier region 27 of the wall area 13 is positioned below thelongitudinal axis of the mold pin, this necessarily results in theregion 28 of the internal cavity 12 with the greater volume lying abovethe longitudinal axis 21 of the parting plane 25. Thus, it is ensuredthat based on additional and upwardly displaced volume of the internalcavity 12, compared to typical symmetrical feeder inserts, the volume ofliquid metal to be received by the feeder inserts 10 can be increased tothe point that the volume for one feed is dimensioned sufficientlywithout the feeder insert 10 running empty and its feeder opening 18 iskept clear.

From FIG. 1, it can further be seen that based on grounds of a moresimple manufacturing, the feeder body 11 comprises two halves 11 a, 11 bseparated along a transverse axis 23 running at a right angle to itslongitudinal axis 21 and connected to form the feeder body 11, which canbe manufactured as individual parts, respectively.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 differs from the previously describedembodiment merely in that on the base surface 17 of the feeder insert10, a preferably metallic shaped part 30 is arranged and is connectedwith the base surface 17, preferably by an adhesive, which has ahat-shaped or also cylindrical design and has a through-opening 31aligned with the base opening 17 of the feeder insert 10. This type ofdesign including such a shaped part 30, which also can be formed to bedeformable, corresponds in this regard with the related state of theart. The features of the subject matter of this specification disclosedin the foregoing description, the patent claims, the abstract and thedrawings can be important individually as well as in any combinationwith one another for realization of the present invention in its variousembodiments.

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A feeder insert (10) for use in a vertically splitcasting mold that is used for the casting of metals, comprising: afeeder body (11) having an internal cavity (12) as feeder volume,wherein said feeder body (11) is composed of an exothermic and/orinsulating material, said feeder body (11) having a base surface (17).wherein said base surface (17) faces toward a vertically orientedpattern inserted into the casting mold during production of the castingmold, said base surface (17) having a feeder opening (18) for connectingthe internal cavity (12) to a mold cavity of the casting mold, whereinthe feeder body (11) has a longitudinal axis (21) running through thefeeder opening (18) and is oriented with said longitudinal axis (21) atan angle with respect to the vertically oriented pattern and so as to behorizontal relative to the pattern, wherein the volume of the internalcavity (12) is of asymmetrical design with respect to an imaginaryparting plane (25) running in or parallel to the longitudinal axis (21),wherein the feeder body (11) has an uneven mass distribution withrespect to the parting plane (25), with a center of mass situated to oneside of and spaced apart from the parting plane (25), and wherein aregion (28) of the internal cavity (12) of the feeder body (11) that issituated on a side of the parting plane (25) which is situated oppositethe center of mass has a larger volume than a further region (29) of theinternal cavity (12) which is situated on a side of the parting plane(25) that faces toward the center of mass.
 9. The feeder insertaccording to claim 8, wherein the uneven mass distribution is realizedby formation of different wall thicknesses on the feeder body (11),whereby the region (27) of the wall area (13) disposed beneath theparting plane (25) with a horizontal orientation of the feeder body (11)relative to the vertically oriented pattern has a greater wall thicknessthan the region (26) of the wall area (13) of the feeder body (11)disposed above the parting plane (25).
 10. The feeder insert accordingto claim 8, wherein the longitudinal axis (21) of the feeder opening(18) forms a central axis of the feeder body (11).
 11. The feeder insertaccording to claim 8, wherein the longitudinal axis (21) of the feederopening (18) is arranged eccentric to a central axis of the feeder body(11).
 12. The feeder insert according to claim 8, wherein the feederbody (11) includes a cover region (14), wherein said cover region (14)is disposed opposite to the base surface (17) and includes an opening(22) that is aligned with the feeder opening (18) and disposed in thelongitudinal axis (21) running through the feeder opening (18) forreceiving a mold pin secured to the vertically oriented pattern insertedin the mold.
 13. The feeder insert according to claim 8, wherein thefeeder body (11) comprises two halves (11 a, 11 b) divided along atransverse axis (23) running at a right angle to the longitudinal axis(21) of the feeder opening (18), wherein said two halves (11 a, 11 b)are assembled to form the feeder body (11).
 14. The feeder insertaccording to claim 8, further comprising a shaped part (30) having athrough opening (31) that is aligned with the feeder opening (18) of thefeeder body (11), wherein said shaped part (30) is fixed to the basesurface (17) of the feeder body (11).
 15. The feeder insert according toclaim 14, wherein the shaped part (30) is made of metal.